Arch for supporting electric lamps



v (No Model.)

P. H. GRIFFIN.

ARCH FOR SUPPORTING ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Patented Sept. 15, 1885.

N, PETCRS. mu-ulmn hr. Vliihinglom D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

P. HENRY GRIFFIN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ARCH FOR SUPPORTING ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,498,dated September15, 1885.

Application filed September 10, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, P. HENRY GRIFFIN, of Detroit, in the county of Wayneand State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements inArches for Supporting Electric Lamps; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in meansof supporting electric-arc lamps over the intersections of streets, withwhich are combined means for elevating and lowering such lamps asoccasion may demand, means for carrying the circuitwires to the lamp,and means for breaking and connecting circuit, so that the lamp may belowered from its position without the necessity of any more circuit-wirethan just enough to make the necessary connection with the lamp when inposition for operation.

The invention consists in so constructing the arch and its connectionsthat the abovedescribed service can be obtained, and in the peculiarconstruction, combination,and operation of the parts, as more fullyhereinafter specified.

In lighting streets of cities by means of electric-arc lamps, it hasbeen found that the best results are obtained by supporting such lampsfrom the center of the intersections of streets, so that the light maybe cast in four directions, and is not interrupted by shade-trees andother obstructions sometimes found at the sides of the streets or oversidewalks; and the object of the present invention is to provide suchmeans.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved arch-support, the two feetthereof resting at diagonally-opposite corners of street intersections.Figs. 2 and 3 are details showing the manner of elevating and loweringsuch lamps.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, AB represent two hollow iron columns, preferably made of gas-pipe, ofsuitable size, the lower ends of which are screwed into, or otherwisesecured to, hollow bases A and B, which are designed to be set in theground at the proper places, and one of these bases conceals themechanism by means of which the lamp is raised or lowered.

T T represent gas-pipes one end of each of which is joined to thecolumns A B by suitable conncctions, and their opposite ends are joinedto the horizontal-pipe T, by means of couplings C O and D D, so as toform the arch.

K is a hollow-iron casting secured upon the pipe T, at about the centerof its length.

b I) represent two small pulleys inclosed in the casting K, one neareach end thereof.

6 c are two projections of brass from the lower face of the casting K,and properly insulated from the same, and performing the ofiice ofholding the ends of the circuit-wires.

f f are two brass castings attached to the top of the lamp and designed,when the lamp is in place for operation, to fit into or form contacts w.th the projections e e, for the purpose hereinafter stated.

The electric wires a a are conducted through the column B and the pipeT, and through the hollow casting K, and attached to the brass castingse e, the wires being properly insulated from the iron parts, andconnecting with the brass points of the casting K.

Inside the couplings C 0 there is provided a small pulley over which thetwo cables to operate. These two cables run through the column A and theadjacent pipes T and T, and over the pulleys b b, and are attached tothe lamp.

n and m are two drums suitably journaled in the base A of the column A,and upon the ends of the drums there are secured ratchetwheels 1) 1),adapted to engage with suitable dogs and retain the drums in thepositions in which they may be left after having been actuated bysuitable cranks.

The base A may be provided with a door, M, suitably locked to preventthe mechanism being surreptitiously used, and the cranks used to operatethe drums should be made detachable, in order that the mechanism may notbe interfered with, except by the operator, who should carry the crankswith him. Both of these drums and their connecting cables are designedto lower the lamp and to raise it, and the drums may be operated bymeans of one crank, if it is thought best, and connected by suitablegearing, so that as one revolves in one direction the other will'revolvein the opposite direction, although this is not essential. If theconducting-wires are laid under ground, they are brought up through thebase 13 of the column B, and through such column; or, if the wires areabove ground, they may be carried into the arch through the properopenings in either of the couplings which join the parts of that side ofthe arch together.

WVhen the lamp is ready for use, the contact points f f, by means of thedrum and cable, are drawn into contact with the contact-points e e, andthese points may be made of any suitable form and size to insure perfectcontact under all circumstances when the circuit is complete.

The means at present employed for supp orting electric-arc lamps forstreet-lighting consist in posts and the suspension of the light byconducting-wires, or otherwise, between two posts. This plan is open tothe objection that it is unsightly, and that to perform the daily workof attending to the lamps is trouble some, and principally that thewires, although generally covered with insulating material, are exposedto contact with other wires and liable to be a source of great dangerthereby, on account of the powerful current of electricity required.

The device hercinbefore shown and described is intended to obviate allof these objections and to provide a means for suspending the lamps thatWill admit of their being readily handled when the necessary daily workon them is to be performed, and that will prevent all danger fromcontact between the electric-light and other wires or objects, and atthe same time will present an attractive appearance.

What Iclaim as my invention is- 1. An arch for supporting electric arclamps, composed of hollow pipes suitably con nected, and having securedto its highest point and insulated therefrom contact-points connectedwith circuit-wires, in combination with contact-points on the lamp, andmeans, substantially as described, for making and breaking the circuitas the lamp is raised and lowered, and means for raising and loweringthe lamp independently of the circuit-wires, substantially as set forth.

2. In an elcctric-arc-lamp support, the coin bination, with the twolimbs thereof, of the casting K, having sockets to receive the adjacentends of said limbs, and provided with electric contact-points inconnection with the poles of an electrical-generator, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

3. A support for lamps, consisting of a series of straight pipesconnected by couplings, each coupling carrying a pulley, and a ropeconnecting with said lamps passing over the pulleys, substantially asdescribed.

4. An arch-support for electric lamps, one limb of which is providedwith electric conductors for the lamp and the other with a cable forlowering the same, substantially as described.

5. In an arch for supporting electric arc lamps, electric wiressupported by one limb of the arch and terminating in points, incombination with mechanical means carried by the other limb toautomatically make and break the circuit between the said points,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In an arch forsupporting electric-lamps, pulleys within the couplingswhich connect the parts together, in combination with the cables passingover said pulleys and through the couplings, and mechanism for operatingsuch cables for elevating and lowering the lamp, substantially asdescribed.

7. An arch for supporting electric arc lamps, composed of a series ofstraight pipes, a suitable base for the same, hollow couplings joiningsaid pipes and provided with pulleys, and a central casting carryingelectric contact-points and also provided with pulleys, in combinationwith cables passing over said pulleys, and mechanism within the saidbase for operating such cables for elevating and lowering the lamp,substantially as described.

8. In an electric-arc-lamp support,the points 6 e,fixedly connectedthereto, and the contacts f f, connected to the lamp,in combination withthe cables 20 10, connected with the contacts f, and the pulley-drums ma, each carrying one of the cables, the parts being constructed andarranged to move the contacts ff to and from the points 0 e in parallelplanes, as and for the purposes specified.

P. HENRY GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. SOULLY.

